And So Begins the Race to Replace Michael Steele

Earlier this week, we reported on the uncertain future of Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele. Specifically, several top G.O.P officials are reportedly maneuvering to oust Steele from a position in which he has not quite excelled. The New York Times reported that Republican leaders were “[encouraging] a challenger to step forward to take him on” when his term ends in January. This morning, a challenger has indeed stepped forward. Saul Anuzis, former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and former contender for the R.N.C. job, has announced he is throwing his hat in the ring. Actually, should it come down to a contest of hats, Steele would emerge victorious, and jaunty. “We will only win in 2012 if the Chairman of the RNC steps out of the limelight and allows our elected officials and presidential candidates to be the face, voice, and agenda setter for Republicans,” Anuzis wrote in a statement this morning. “I will NOT strive to be the voice or the face of our party. Of course I will be happy to discuss politics and elections with the media, but I won’t be competing with valuable airtime from the men and women on our ticket,” he added, an explicit criticism of Steele’s affinity for (invariably unfortunate) television appearances. Steele has not yet revealed whether he will seek re-election.

As we mentioned earlier, Anusiz once before sought the R.N.C. chairmanship. According to a Politico article titled “RNC chair race: ‘Everyone is pissed,’” in 2009, Anusiz ran against incumbent Mike Duncan and a then-unknown former Maryland lieutenant governor named Michael Steele whose fecklessness, outsize love of dogs, and hilarious Wikipedia page won the hearts and ballots of the Republican National Committee.